Porsche Vehicle Model Numbering Scheme

[k9e1n4]

Anybody know if there is any reasoning behind Porsche's numbering of its vehicle line (914...917...911...etc.) or did they just pick numbers out of a hat? Maybe it has something to do with engine displacement? Or just the number sounds cool or 'fits' a certain car shape? '9' Seems to be a favorite numeral.....



Ken
- 1973 914 thats gets better every weekend

[M. Hendrix]

Well, there doesn't seem to be any underlying theme, overall, but there are some with reason.

901: It's a Peeujoe!
904: Worship the toad
906: Worship son of the toad
907: Has anyone seen this child?
908: "Look mommy, that man has flowers on his pants!"
910: Michigan used them to scrape snow for that one season..
911: call the Police, this car is stolen.
914: 3 more than a 911, much better.
916: 914 with a stolen motor.
917: faster, because it has 2 stolen motors.
924: they couldn't just skip the twentys!
928: What about the 928?
930: 19? 19? 19?
931: Frame #901.789.9372 Missing
934: "Yeah, but what could you do to the body?"
935: "I could do this.."
944: German Mustang GT


I don't really know.


M

[Toast]

What about the 928?

Later I am washing my hair.

[M. Hendrix]

Originally posted by Toast
What about the 928?

Later I am washing my hair.

What's a 928?

=\ ..... what are you doing after that?

damnit!!



M

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

No good reasoning, really. After the 356, Porsche apparently decided to start on numbers in another area. So they called the car "901". But Pugeot objected, claiming that they had trademarked all three-digit numbers with a "0" in the middle, so after a couple of years Porsche changed over to 911.

After that, the cars have been numbered in (generally) increasing order, but often with some of the numbers having some significance.

912 == "entry level" version of the 911, introduced shortly after the 911.
914 == four-cylinder car, next street car after the 912. (Yeah, the 914-6 wasn't four-cylinder...)
916 == Super version of the 914 but with 6 cylinders.
924 == Four-cylinder entry-level car, but later than the 914 above.
928 == Eight-cylinder car with overall similar design to the 924. (Front-engine, rear-transaxle, hatchback.)
944 == Redesign of the 924.

Other numbers have simply been the internal project numbers for various cars.

930 == 911 Turbo
931 == 924 Turbo
951 == 944 Turbo
986 == Boxster
964 == "Carrera 2" and "Carrera 4" 911s (89-94 or so)
993 == 1994-98 (or so??) 911
996 == 99+ water-cooled 911

...And so on.

--DD

[jamcleod]

what are they going to do after the 999?

[kellzey]

Some things were components...

915 - tranny
925 - tranny (sportomatic)

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

912 == 12-cylinder engine used in the 917 race car.
916 == 16-cylinder engine developed in case the turbocharged version of the above engine did not work out.
Also, a "side-shifter" version of the 915 transmission.
Also, a 914-derived car that used the above-mentioned transmission.

...And so on...

--DD

[george 4man]

dont forget the early 4-cam guys...

550
718

and the very cool (but not beside your leg) typ 804

[M. Hendrix]

Or the ultra rare 47.



I predict when the 900s are done, they go to single digits.



M

[k9e1n4]

OK....now there is some reason above. I was beginning to think that Oktoberfest had something to do with the numbering.

Or did that just influence the design here and there…

[bowlsby]

The 9xx numbers are for convenience of marketing...

The 914 is Porsche Type 47.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Nope, the 914 is VW Type 47!

--DD

[AZ914]

DD,

I had thought that the 964 was the 'wider body' 911 that came out in the late 70's, then the new Carrera 4/2 mods that came out in '89 or so were the 993's.

Shows you what I know.

What changes were made in 94 that prompted the new '993' designation? Looks like the same body/wheelbase etc.

[M. Hendrix]

Actually, it looks like the old one, but it's completely different, that (964) was touted as the first big change since the inception of the model.


M

[p914]

I heard the 9 series designer really liked The Beatles and kept on listening to the song One After 909 and he also had demon music repeating in his head saying #9, #9, #9, #9, #9, #9...